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Our programs for children and teens have an annual enrollment of more than 60 young people, ages five to 22 years old. We provide them with therapeutic recreation programs designed to meet their needs and interests through After School, Summer, and Day Camp programs. Participants have mild to severe developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, or intellectual disability. Many of our children come from single parent households and low-income areas in San Francisco.
The Center's programs promote independence and a positive self-image among peers in a safe, fun, and nurturing environment. Children are enrolled in programs based on age rather than disability. This enables us to offer age-appropriate recreation activities such as cooking, painting, computer lab, dancing, swimming, gardening, community outings, adapted sports, and games designed to help children develop their communication, social, self-help, physical, and cognitive skills.
Our focus is always on what each child can do rather than on his or her disability. We then design activities based upon the abilities of each youngster, allowing the children to develop at their own pace. By combining play and learning, all of our program activities encourage children with disabilities to experience success by developing self-help and independent living skills. The benefits to our young participants, their families, and to the community are both tangible and significant.
The Janet Pomeroy Center coordinates services with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Children need to have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in order to be eligible for our programs. Students are dropped off at our site after school by SFUSD buses, and are taken home by Janet Pomeroy Center vans. Our staff communicate regularly with SFUSD teachers to explore additional cooperative efforts and ways to reinforce the skills participants learn in each program. The Center's After School and Summer Day Camp programs are coordinated with the SFUSD's school and summer schedules.
